Please, check out the recently uploaded Grange pics…from our trip over the weekend.

—>Go to our webpage: rossphr.org
—>

tab at the top of the page

Also, contact me if you would like any other pics uploaded to the site from any of your semester PHR events!!!

Mid-semester update:

Hope everyone’s mini 2 went well. This was a BUSY post-mini weekend!

Saturday 11/8: ‘Independence Celebration/ Health Fair at The Grange’
**The event was a major success. GREAT thanks to ‘The Grange Chair,’ Lydia, for a well organized, fun event. It was warming to see the smiles on the resident’s faces.
**Specials thanks to Candice, Rita, and everyone who brought food, drink, decorations, and SPIRIT to the event!!
**Keep you eyes on the website for posted pics from the event!!!

Saturday 11/8: ‘Art Fair’
**15% of the proceeds went to The Grange (home for the elderly) and CALLS center. Hope you were able to support the cause.

Sunday 11/9: ‘Women’s Health Fair’:
**This was an event put on by several Ross groups: PHR, AMSA, Physicians for Choice, and many more. We’re looking forward to an update from the ‘Women’s Health Relations Chair,’ Kelsie, on the success of the event.

Events Still to COME this Semester…
1- COFFEE TALK- Where we watch a controversial movie and have a discussion after. We are tying for ‘Would you treat a Transexual?” I will keep you updated on the time and location: stay tuned!

2- CALLS and tuturing center are still in action. Contact Denise if you want to help!

3- General meeting on events for next semester and new E-board transitions. This will be towards the end of the semester. Please contact any of the board members that u are interesting in either helping out or taking over their position. This is the time to GET INVOLVED!!!

Update on the Volunteer Mission to the Grange:

Since there have been many requests for information about the health fair/lunch/independence day celebration, we are having a brief meeting on:
–> Thursday, October 30 at the deck behind subway at 12:15pm.

The meeting will last only 15 minutes. We will discuss provide all the necessary information about the event and let you know where you can help!! Hope to see you all THURSDAY, October 30.

Volunteering for the activity at the Grange on Saturday, November 8, 2008.

** Please contact: Lydia Sawney with any questions regarding the event.

Hello everyone! Happy studies…

Great opportunity to volunteer: Visit the Grange: Dominican home for the elderly.

PHR is planning to go the Grange on Saturday, November 8, 2008 from 11am - 2pm, after mini 2. We are planning a health fair, independence day celebration, and preparing/ serving lunch for the residences. Get some experience communicating and working with the edlerly!!

If you are interesting in going or even want to help in planning/ organizing this activity, please contact Lydia Sawney,at LydiaSawney@rossmed.edu.

Hello!
Hope everyone is having good weekends.
This e-mail is to finalize the meeting time. It will be this Wednesday, Oct. 1st, at 12:30PM. As I stated earlier it should last maximum 15 minutes. I don’t want to make it at 12:00 so that I can allow students at the annex time to make it to the meeting. Also hopefully people will find enough time to pick up lunch and bring it with them if they want.
The Meeting will be in classroom 2B @12:30PM.

I will be prepared on Wed. for individuals who want to sign up on the same day every week. For those individuals who have been e-mailing me asking if they could volunteer on different days each week, that will be okay. But if you who would like to change your schedule from week to week, I think it might be easier for you to e-mail me your preferred dates.

Please do not sign up until you are fairly certain you will be doing it. That way we won’t leave any kids hanging. I would like to turn in a finalized list the Tuesday after the mini to the teacher at the CALLS center. Therefore, I would prefer that schedule changes be made before that day. Obviously I know that things happen and no schedule can be set in stone, however, I want it to be as accurate a possible.

Remember that the sessions can be from 1-2PM on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday.

Lastly, I wanted to tell all of you that there will be no tutoring sessions held the week before the Mini examinations. So if you e-mail me your preferred dates, please do not include those.

I will try my best to answer any questions on Wed. and explain everything. If you cannot come, do not fret. Just send me an e-mail letting me know you are still interested.
Thanks,

Denise Sungurlu
4th semester Ross University School of Medicine
Call Center Chair

Posted by:
Melissa Musec
4th semester Ross University School of Medicine
PHR E-Secretary Chair

WELCOME back old members and HELLO to all new members.

We had a great kick-start meeting yesterday evening. Hope everyone got some information about this semester’s activities:
Coffee Talks
Portsmouth Library sessions
Call Center
Women’s Health Fair
The Grange (Home for the elderly)
and much more….

We will keep you posted on dates and times!!! GET INVOLVED everyone!!! Let’s ROCK this semester.

Melissa Musec
4th semester Ross University School of Medicine
PHR E-Secretary Chair

An Update on Jerryson: Unfortunately, Jerryson passed away yesterday struggling against his disease. He was a brave 11 yr old boy but our best efforts to help him weren’t quick enough. We would like to thank everyone who donated or even took a moment to wish Jerryson health and happiness. The 3000EC generated in effort to help Jerryson will be set aside to help another struggling Dominican with their healthcare needs. Please keep visiting this site for updates.

Jerryson is an 11 year old boy who has lymphoma and needs chemotherapy as soon as possible. Jerryson’s cancer was detected when he came in for an appendectomy. Metastatic infiltrates were seen on his liver and subsequent tests revealed lymphoma. Further tests are being done to determine if the cancer has invaded his bone marrow as well. Jerryson also has asthma.

Doctors have been trying to get the necessary chemotherapy drugs to Dominica but have been told by the man in charge of supplies that he can only get the supplies from either India or from Trinidad or Barbados. Trinidad or Barbados do not sell to Dominica. Doctors believe the best thing is to send him to either Trinidad or Barbaddos since these places have the necessary drugs. There is no room in Queen Elizabeth Hospital-the public hospital in Barbados but there is room at the private hospital there called Bayview. Doctors are looking into more options in Trinidad and also at St. Judes in the United States. It will be difficult for Jerryson to travel to St. Judes because he doesn’t have a passport or a visa.

The Kimberly fund is for locals of Dominica that are in need of surgery but that are not able to afford it. Please scroll down on the sidebar to make a donation for Jerryson to get the therapy he needs. This is your chance to help.

I would like to welcome everyone, new and continuing, to Ross and another semester of interest in Human Rights issues.

Our first general meeting will take place Thursday May 22nd at noon, in classroom 5. This meeting will help everyone renew their interests in human rights with our upcoming projects.

Pizza and juice will be served.

I would also like to remind visitors to the blog that they can sign up to become a member and recieve notifications about upcoming projects via this website.

The International Health Policy Coordinator is now also available. This position involves activities like the Panzi Rape Clinic in the Congo, and any other topics related to international health policy.

If you’re interested in getting more information, or if you think you’d be a good fit, please email John Richey: JohnRichey@rossmed.edu.dm as soon as possible!

It’s nearing the end of the semester, and we will be saying goodbye to our fourth semester PHR officers. This means we have a lot of open positions available for driven individuals to take a leadership role in PHR. This is your opportunity to stand up and make a difference in your local community and internationally. Human rights violations abound, and you have the opportunity to do something about it!

Here are the current officers and open positions:

President: Open
Vice President: Open
Treasurer: Open
Webmaster: Purva Sharma
International Health Policy Coordinator: Monika Siedlarz
International Health Policy Representative: Open
Dominican Affairs - CALLS Center Coordinator: Lulua Mandviwala
Dominican Affairs - Library Tutoring Program Coordinator: Nigelle Pinto
Dominican Affairs - Library Tutoring Program Coordinator: Mohita Patel
Dominican Affairs - Kimberly Fund Coordinator: Open
Education and Awareness Coordinator: Open
Education and Awareness Representative: Open
Women’s Health Coordinator: TBD soon
Women’s Health Representative: TBD soon
Women’s Health - Med Students for Choice Representative: Open

Here is an incomplete list of some of our accomplishments this semester:

April, 2008
A local individual that is on dialysis and in need of a transplant was able to be connected with the Private Sector foundation (organization that we plan to join with in the near future) in which he is in the interviewing stage of the funding process.

April 3, 2008
Coffee Talk Film Viewing: Southern Comfort. An lively debate followed discussing doctors’ obligation to treat transgendered patients.

March 14, 2008
Talk: Dr. Richard Heinzl, founder of Doctors Without Borders, Canada

February 27, 2008
Coffee Talk Film Viewing: Why we Fight

Spring, 2008
The Library Tutoring Program volunteers helped students of all ages with projects for school, and helped them improve their reading and arithmetic skills. On a bi-weekly basis, the Library Tutoring Program Coordinators kept in contact with all of the library volunteers. They discussed ways to help local children with their studies and keep them interested in learning.

For a longer list, see our achievements page.

If you’re interested in the Women’s Health - Med Students for Choice Representative position, please email Jamie Flanagan: jamiedflanagan@msn.com

Med Students for Choice is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that physicians are trained to provide comprehensive health care including reproductive health. The group helps to fill in gaps in med school curriculum to teach students about contraception and abortion so that as physicians they can council and provide these services to their patients. www.ms4c.org.

If you’re interested in getting more information about any of the available positions, or if you think you’d be a good fit, please email John Richey: JohnRichey@rossmed.edu.dm.

I know everyone is very busy right now, but take a few minutes out of your day and consider taking a more active role in PHR. Please send your emails by Monday, April 6th.

This might be my last email to PHR members, as I’m leaving the island in less than two weeks. I’ve enjoyed working with PHR, and have found it to be an incredibly rewarding experience. Good luck to all of you, and always stand up for what you believe in!

The Very Best,
Kendra